1. Field of the Invention
The present specification is directed to a golf training assembly which aids a golfer in practicing an entire golf swing and/or a variety of strokes, including driving, chipping, and putting. Specifically, the present invention facilitates alignment of a golfer's swing relative to a preferred path of travel. The golf training assembly of the present invention is also configurable into a shelter to protect the golfer against the elements. In addition, the assembly of the present invention is portable such that it can be conveniently stored and/or transported by the golfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf is a popular sport played by many people in the United States and around the world. Though golf is sometimes viewed in contrast to other popular sports as requiring less athleticism in the traditional sense, it remains one of the most difficult sports to master. Accordingly, a wide variety of products and services are offered in connection with teaching the game of golf, particularly with respect to training and practice aids for swinging golf clubs, hitting golf balls, and putting. Such products are naturally targeted at many different levels of golfer proficiency, from mere beginners up to advanced professionals.
One common type of golf training aid is the specially modified golf club. Such equipment typically includes one or more exaggerated features which are intended to induce correct technique on the part of the player. For example, some such aids may include heavier club heads, specially bent or flexible shafts, or specialized grips, etc. for assisting the golfer in developing a proper swinging technique. One major drawback with such devices is that they may cause the user to develop exaggerations in their technique which leads to difficulties with properly using the actual golf clubs used to play the game. Another significant drawback is that such aids merely focus on a limited aspect of the swing, such as contact with the ball, the backswing, the grip, etc., without providing a comprehensive aid for a complete golf swing.
It therefore would be beneficial to provide a golf training assembly which would enable a golfer to practice strokes with normal golf clubs, rather than specialized training clubs. It would also be advantageous for such a golf training assembly to permit training with regard to a variety of strokes, including driving, chipping, and putting, and which would be adaptable for different skill levels.
Another problem associated with practicing the golf swing are the attendant time constraints and costs involved with traveling to and utilizing golf training facilities, such as driving ranges. The golfer must travel to the driving range and pay for use of the driving range, usually based on a quantity of golf balls to be hit. It would therefore be more convenient to set up a golf training assembly in a golfer's back yard, garage, or other location, either indoors or outdoors, where the golfer could train for free. It would be a further benefit for such an assembly to be portable such that it could be conveniently stored and/or transported by the golfer to a practice location. It would also be advantageous for such a portable assembly to be configurable into a shelter to protect the golfer against the elements, such as for when it is desirable to wait out a temporary rain shower, or to shade the golfer from the sun during a rest break.